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Health Claims on Food Labels

Topic Overview

Food makers can make health claims about certain nutrients,
such as calcium, fiber, and fat, that are found naturally in foods. The health
claims must be balanced and based on current, reliable scientific studies and
must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Health claims may be statements like "This food is a good source of
calcium. Adequate intake of calcium may reduce the risk of osteoporosis," or
"Development of cancer depends on many factors. A diet low in total fat may
reduce the risk of some cancers."

But just because a food label
has a health claim does not mean that the food is healthy for you. For example,
a food that is labeled as "a good source of calcium" may still be high in fat,
salt, or sugar.

Terms you can trust

Terms on labels are legally
defined for food companies. Phrases such as "low-fat," "low-sodium," "light" or
"lite," "free" (as in "fat-free"), and "organic" are
now standardized for all foods. If a food uses one of these terms, you can
trust that it meets the criteria for that term.

Per serving:

Calorie-free: Less than 5 calories

Fat-free or sugar-free: Less than ½ gram of fat or sugar

Good source of: At least 10% of the Daily Value of the vitamin or nutrient

High in: Provides 20% or more of the Daily Value (DV) of a nutrient

High fiber: 5 or more grams of fiber

Lean: 10 grams of fat or less, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and less than 95 mg of cholesterol in a 3-ounce serving of meat, poultry, or seafood

Light: 1/3 less calories or 1/2 the fat

Low-calorie: Less than 40 calories

Low-fat: 3 grams or less of fat

Low cholesterol: Less than 20 milligrams of cholesterol and 2 grams or less of saturated fat

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